Arsenal vs Tottenham: Neither side of north London is particularly pleased with its start to the 2021-22 Premier League season, which made Sunday’s derby at the Emirates Stadium all the more meaningful — and interesting.
And it is the red half of north London which is celebrating this weekend.
Arsenal were 3-0 up in the first half thanks to Emile Smith Rowe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka, as they tore Tottenham apart on the counter.
Heung-min Son’s goal for Tottenham was nothing more than a consolation, as they were second best throughout and Mikel Arteta’s Gunners made it three Premier League wins on the spin.
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Here is everything you need to know ahead of Arsenal vs Tottenham this Sunday with team news, odds, stream link and more.
Live analysis, reaction, videos from Arsenal vs Tottenham! - By Joe Prince-Wright at the Emirates Stadium
- 3 things we learned
- Player ratings
- Smith Rowe on ‘best day of his life’
- Nuno, Lloris slam Spurs who were ‘smashed’
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been speaking to Sky Sports:
“This win is for the fans. They were there when we needed their support. We started really strongly and were determined. It is probably one of the best games I have seen us play, in the first half. In the second half we had to do what we had to do.”
"[I liked] the determination, the connection with our people. This is not about football. It is the energy you feel when the crowd is with you.”
“We just need to keep everyone healthy because we are going to need everyone. It was the exact mix we needed with the senior players stepped in and led, and then the youth with enthusiasm and good vibes.”
“Today is one example of what we want to do. Not we have to be consistent and do it better than what we’ve done in some aspects of the game.”
I asked Mikel Arteta about the Arsenal fans and the message he has for them moving forward: “Thank you for creating this incredible environment today. This win is for them. Enjoy tonight!” #AFC #THFC #NorthLondonDerby
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) September 26, 2021
Emile Smith Rowe speaking to our partners in the UK at Sky Sports:
“It’s probably the best day of my life. To have my family here as well, it’s a special feeling. The fans have done so much for us today and we want to thank them as much as we can,” Smith Rowe said.
“I feel like we’ve worked so hard. We had a tough start to the season. I feel like it’s going really well at the moment but we need to keep our heads on.”
Tottenham skipper Hugo Lloris tells Sky Sports that Spurs were ‘smashed’ early on:
“We lost complete control in the first half. We got smashed and then had a good reaction. It’s frustrating and very disappointing. It’s the moment to stick together and carry on. The players were ready but we lost a bit of control. We lost the balance in the middle of the pitch,” Lloris said. “When you concede three goals in each of the last three league games you cannot hide the problems. But we are professional. There is a long way to go. We need to stay calm.”
Arsenal skipper Aubameyang is also very, very happy as he whips up the crowd as they salute him and Smith Rowe in his post-game interview on the pitch:
“It means the world to us. The fans give us everything. They push us. It’s an amazing feeling, just unbelievable. It’s quite easy when they [the young players] listen and are ready to learn,” Aubameyang said.
“The most important thing is they improve as they play. They are doing amazing. We are doing a good run. We want to go forward and win games. We are doing well right now.”
The manager and player reaction is coming through all the time as Mikel Arteta, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Aaron Ramsdale and Emile Smith Rowe are all being lauded by the fans who have hung around here at the Emirates Stadium.
Tottenham players are getting some ‘banter’ chucked at them.
👋 Thanks for joining me! Arsenal dominant in the #NorthLondonDerby against Tottenham. #AFC’s energy, counters and clinical finishing totally blew #THFC away.
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) September 26, 2021
My thoughts from a jubilant Emirates Stadium ⤵️ #ARSTOT pic.twitter.com/eQaH1zUkCN
FULL TIME: A totally dominant display from Arsenal, who did all of the damage in the first half. There’s a really lively atmosphere here at the Emirates. Gunners fans are very happy after three-straight wins to start the season. And why the heck not!?
🔥🔴🙌 Euphoria at the final whistle here at the Emirates Stadium! Listen to that roar.
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) September 26, 2021
Arsenal secure a huge #NorthLondonDerby win v Tottenham, now 3 straight wins for Arsenal. #AFC #THFC #ARSTOT pic.twitter.com/ON9Fxs9btg
Spurs haven’t been able to get going again after making it 3-1. Arsenal easing to victory here, although Ramsdale has just tipped Moura’s deflected shot onto the bar. Good stop.
GOAL! 12 minutes to go and it’s 3-1. Heung-min Son scores after a decent Reguilon crosses. Granit Xhaka is down after being clattered by Moura, who was fouled. Game on!?
Spurs have been a lot better in the second half, but only because Arsenal are playing the ball around and aren’t overly bothered about attacking. Harry Kane’s low shot is saved by Ramsdale, who is looking very assured.
Couple of penalty shouts to start the second half. Gabriel goes down under pressure from Davinson Sanchez but nothing is given. Harry Kane is then clipped by Ben White right on the edge of the box. Nothing given. VAR not interested in overturning those calls. Looked like a penalty on Kane.
HALF TIME: The Emirates applauds Arsenal off the pitch, as they chant “3-0 to the Arsenal!” What a first half from the Gunners. Rampant on the break, Tottenham can’t live with them.
👏🔥🔴 Bukayo Saka with a fine finish after he bundled his way through the Tottenham defense. What a player he is.
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) September 26, 2021
Arsenal on fire in the #NorthLondonDerby #AFC 3-0 #THFC #ARSTOT pic.twitter.com/RODpNF9I0k
Harry Kane heads a corner wide, as Tottenham have had a couple of chances but every time Arsenal go forward they look like scoring.
GOALLL! Bukayo Saka the latest to score. The winger finishes off after somehow bundling through a challenge after he led a counter. Tottenham all over the place defensively. Arsenal rampant on the break. Wow. The fans are going bonkers here.
20 - Aged 20 years and 21 days, Arsenal's Bukayo Saka is the youngest player in Premier League history to score and assist in a North London derby (previously Cesc Fàbregas in September 2007). Catalyst. pic.twitter.com/ttaC1obMiX
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 26, 2021
I can’t remember the last time the atmosphere in the Emirates was this positive. Even before the game home fans were behind Mikel Arteta and the team. A remarkable change in atmosphere over the last month or so.
GOALLLL! Arsenal 2-0 up. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with the finish. What a run and pass from Emile Smith Rowe. Gunners absolutely rampant. The Emirates Stadium is rocking. Wow. Arsenal fans in dreamland.
17th minute: Almost 2-0! First, Thomas Partey’s shot is saved well by Hugo Lloris. Then Aubameyang smashes a shot just over. Arsenal rampant!
GOALLL! Emile Smith Rowe puts Arsenal 1-0 up! Good run and great cross from Bukayo Saka on the right, as the two Arsenal academy products combine to give them the lead v Tottenham. What a moment for Saka and ESM.
CHANCES! Heung-min Son rolls a shot wide, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang forces Lloris into a low save, but the offside flag is up.
These games are always full of meaty tackles, and we’ve seen a fair few already.
2nd minute: Bright start from the hosts, as they respond to the fans backing them. Mikel Arteta’s side have created a more positive vibe after recent wins.
🔊🔴🔥#NorthLondonDerby pic.twitter.com/HUuHIU9OVA
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) September 26, 2021
What an atmosphere here! North London derby day is always epic, and the fans are properly up for this. Welcome to the Emirates. Strap in.
🙌🔴⚪️ Welcome to the Emirates! Listen to this atmosphere for the #NorthLondonDerby. It’s epic.
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) September 26, 2021
Watch #AFC v #THFC live right here ➡️ https://t.co/jfTxPKZUZ2
I’ll have live analysis and updates from #ARSTOT pic.twitter.com/TyECPXBfCh
Arsenal team news, injuries, lineups (INJURY REPORT)
🚨 Your NLD team news...
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 26, 2021
🏴 @AaronRamsdale98 in goal
🇬🇭 @Thomaspartey22 starts
🇬🇦 @Auba leads the line!
🔴 COME ON YOU GUNNERS! pic.twitter.com/kabrwJOdEi
Tottenham team news, injuries
QUESTIONABLE: Steven Bergwijn (ankle), Lucas Moura (ankle), Ryan Sessegnon (knock)
✊ Your North London Derby XI. pic.twitter.com/MsUrstgozT
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 26, 2021
Preamble
The Gunners didn’t pick up their first point (or score their first goal) until the fourth game of the season. Now, they’ve won two in a row (each over relegation-threatened sides, by the narrowest of 1-0 margins) without impressing beyond the fact that Thomas Partey made it through 75 minutes without re-aggravating an old injury or picking up a new one. The calls for Mikel Arteta’s job have quieted for the time being, until Arsenal next suffer defeat, at which point #ArtetaOut will trend again. Of course, inversely, beating an already downtrodden Tottenham and adding to their growing misery in the north London derby would go a long way toward bringing the squad closer together and re-instilling the confidence that’s been slowly beaten out of them over the last few seasons.
As for Tottenham, Nuno Espirito Santo’s main concern will be that Harry Kane shows up and shows out for the first time in the Premier League this season. No, the version of Kane which has little to no influence on the game and has taken four shots in four appearances won’t do the trick — and Kane knows that. Perhaps this is Kane’s response to being denied his desperately desired transfer to Manchester City, and that would be a shame because he’s doing more damage to his Tottenham legacy — something he cares very deeply about — every time he looks generally unbothered by the football being played around him, without him. It’s a far worse look than the amateurish transfer plot.
Odds and ends (full odds provided by our partner, PointsBet)
Arsenal (+120) | Tottenham (+225) | Draw (+225)
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Prediction
There is one thing Arsenal and Tottenham fans can agree on: They’re eternally thankful to have one another, to delight in the misery of the other side only to ignore their own burning building of a club for just a moment. That extends to what happens on the field as well, as two struggling sides become increasingly desperate from minute 1 to 90. It breeds drama (of the good and bad variety), controversy, joy and heartache. Prediction: all of the above. Arsenal 2-2 Tottenham.
How to watch Arsenal vs Tottenham, stream live and start time
Kickoff: 11:30 am ET Sunday
TV: NBCSN
Online: Stream via NBCSports.com